Combination tool and case therefor



Get 21, 1969 R. GENCHI 3,473,712

COMBINATION TOOL AND CASE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 6, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR R0000 GENCHI BY/6M $3 ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1969 R. GENCHICOMBINATION TOOL AND CASE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 6, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 258 59 M 3| l 57 E: as zsfl g :1 I l 4o- I I 65 Z 5 56 I I 2 4 30 j 2 I I1 l/ I i 28 I 1 lg I: l v

INVENTOR R0060 GENOHI A TTORNE Y 3,473,712 COMBINATION TOOL AND CASETHEREFOR Rocco Genchi, 408 S. Charvers Ave., West Covina, Calif. 91790Filed Feb. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 619,498 Int. Cl. 1325f J/OZ; A0113 1/20;B261) 29/00 US. Cl. 2242 7 Claims ABSTRACT UP THE DISCLOSURE Acombination tool having various assemblable work elements and a handle,a novel case therefor and novel locking and guide means for assemblingthe work elements to and storage thereof within the handle and the case.

Tool assemblies having a handle to which a variety of work elements maybe attached are known in the prior art, as are such tool assembliesinvolving hollow handles in which to store the unused work elements.These types of devices are particularly well known in the screwdrivertools in which can be stored the several different bits supplied in thescrewdriver handle.

However, the work elements of some tools are rather large compared withthe handle so that storage within the handle is, at best, inconvenient,and, at worst, impossible. An example of a tool assembly of this typewould be an axe or hatchet head, or a shovel blade, or even a hammerhead in combination with a handle. These are obviously larger than asize which might reasonably be fitted into the axe, hammer or shovelhandle.

This invention contemplates a handle which may be hollow to receive asaw blade, the saw blade being attached to a hammer-and-axe-headcombination and fittable into the hollow handle in alternate positions,so that the saw or axe and hammer may be used selectively. There is alsoprovided a shovel blade which may be substituted for the saw blade, axeand hammer unit and a novel case which makes it possible to carry thehandle and all of the accessory heads, blades and the like on ones belt,or at the waist with a self-belt to which the novel case may be afiixedthrough a belt loop on the case. In this fashion the tool heads, bladesand handle are readily accessible when needed.

The tool assembly of the invention is useful to persons engaged invarious outdoor activities, such as hunting, camping, or prospecting. Itmay be carried as an emergency tool combination to assist an individualto survive until assistance can reach him or until he can reach a placewhere assistance is available. The combination of tools are such as topermit many activities like digging, chopping, hammering, and sawing toprovide shelter, foraging for food, cutting wood for fire of any numberof other activities that may be associated with an emergency situationin a remote locality.

The portion of the respective work elements of the kit which may befitted to the handle, includes identical spring-loaded bayonet snap-lockdevices which interfit with snap-button-receiving apertures and slots inthe handle to provide positive locking action. The axe-hammer-sawbladecombination work element has a novel dimple and pimple arrangement onopposite faces of the portion thereof which fits into the slots of thehandle to insure against rocking of the saw blade or axe-hammer heads inuse and to maintain the work elements rigid in the handle for better usein a work situation.

The outer surface of the handle is ridged to provide more efficientgripping thereof by the user.

The objects of the above described kit, as hereinbefore indicated, andadditional objects and advantages thereof ted States Patent will be moreclearly understood from the specification which follows taken togetherwith the drawings and the appended claims. In the drawings preferredembodiments are shown but should not be construed as limiting theinvention to these embodiments only. It should be clearly understoodthat the embodiments shown are merely exemplary and that those skilledin the art pertaining to the invention should be able to conceive otherembodiments in the light of the teachings herein within the ambit of theclaims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the holster-type case for themultiple-use tool assembly of the present invention, showing it in itsfolded-over condition as it attaches to a users waist belt;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective open view of the case of the tool assemblyaccording to this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the handle of the tool assemblyaccording to this invention, with one of the work elements insertedtherein in its use and packing condition;

FIGURE 4 shows in perspective a different tool element inserted in thehandle;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the tool handle with the work elementshown in FIGURE 3 inverted to illustrate the use of an alternative workelement therewith;

FIGURE 6 is a partially cutaway view of the handle with a combinationwork element according to the invention inserted therein;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken at line 7-7 in FIGURE 6, showing indetail the bayonet locking mechanism utilized with the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken at line 8-8 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken at line 9-9 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken at line 10-10 in FIGURE 4.

As hereinbefore indicated, the present invention comprises a combinationtool kit assembly and a case for the handle and work elements thereof.The case 10 is shown in FIGURE 1 as it appears when worn by the user ona belt 11, shown in part. With reference to both FIGURES l and 2 inwhich the holster-like case 10 is shown respectively in the open andclosed position, the case 10 may be seen to consist of a lower orholster portion 12 and an upper or flap portion 13. The flap 13 foldsover the holster 12 on a fold line 17. The end 18 of cover 13 has a liftloop 14 attached and a snap fastener assembly 15, 16, 16a respectivelyin the inner surface of cover 13 and outer surface of holster 12, theparts of which interfit to close the case 10 and hold it together whenthe assembly is not in use and is supported at the users waist on belt11 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The cover 13 as is indicated by cut away portion 20 in FIGURE 2 has apocket 21 which is generally configured to receive for storage a shovelblade 22, one of the work elements of the combination tool assembly. Thecover 13 may also include other pockets for other types of tools. Theholster portion 12 consists of a shaped pocket wider at the top as at 23and narrower at the bottom as at 24 so as to receive the handle 28, 29of the tool with the axe head, hammer and saw assembly 25 as shown inFIGURE 6 and in FIGURE 3 for storage. The wider portion 23 of holster 12is shown partially cut away at 35 to show the axe and hammer head 25inserted therein. In FIGURE 2 at in dashed line, there is shown a beltloop attached to the rear of the case for hanging the case on belt 11.

Shovel blade 22 is shown attached to handle 28, 29 in FIGURE 4, and inthe partially cross-sectional view of FIGURE 10. Hollow handle 28 and 29includes the tool receiving portion 28 and the holding portion 29. Thelatter has a ridged rubber outer covering 36 provided for better andmore secure gripping action when held in the users hand.

The tool receiving portion 28 of the handle 28, 29, is slotted at 31, 32at the top thereof to receive the tool Work elements such as blade 22,axe-hammer-saw element 25 and any other useful tool working portionsthat those skilled in such arts may think of. As an example, other typesof saw blades may be equipped with assembly components as hereinafterdescribed or pick-axe heads may be so equipped as to be insertable inhandle 28, 29. If the tool of the invention were to be used byprospectors special tools with appropriate pick and chopping heads formineral use might be made to include the snap in and assembly elementsas hereinafter discussed.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, and as may be seen also in FIGURE 6 theaxe-hammer-saw combination tool 25 can be inserted into the slot 31, 32of handle 28, 29 so as to have the appearance of FIGURE 5 for use of thesaw 30 and/or the hammer 27 or axe 26, or it may be used in the storageconfiguration shown in exterior view in FIGURE 3 and in cross-sectionalcut-away view in FIGURE 6. In the latter configuration the use is as ahammer or axe only.

If reference is now made to the sectional views in FIGURES 6 through 10the assembly of the component work elements such as shovel blade 22 andaxe-hammersaw 25 to the upper handle portion 28 will be more fullyappreciated.

At a point below the top of handle portion 28 and on an axisperpendicular to slot 31, 32 there is provided a bore 33 in one face ofthe handle which is hollow as has been previously described. On each ofthe tool work elements 22 or 25 is provided a spring loaded bayonet snaplock which includes a strong leaf-spring 40 riveted to the tool by oneend 44 of the spring as at 41. To the other or free end of spring 40there is fixedly attached a locking button 42 which is dimensioned indiameter to fit bore 33 and rounded on its exposed surface 43 so as toslide easily in and out of the inner portion of handle 28 as the toolwork element is being inserted into or removed from the handle 28 and sothat the locking button 42 will readily snap into bore 33 as may be seenin FIGURES 7 and 9 under the urge of spring 40. The work element is thusheld tightly in place in slot 31, 32 and cannot be removed without firstpressing upon button 42 against the urge of spring 40 into bore 33 sothat tool 22 or 25 can be removed from handle 28.

There are several varieties of fitting means employed in the tools ofthis invention for aiding in the rigid holding of the tool such as 22 or25 in the handle 28. One of these is the half-round extrusion 45 ofshovel blade 22 which may be seen in the heel portion 46 thereof andwhich fits snugly along the inner contour of handle 28 as may be seen at47 in FIGURE 10. The other is the rounded undercut 48 in the part ofhammer head 27 fitting against the outer diameter of handle 28 as may beseen particularly in the cross-sectional portion of FIG- URE 9. A thirdfitting means is incorporated in the axe blade 26 at 50, 51, 52 and '53,which may be seen in FIGURES 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9 in various degrees ofdetail and cross-section. These fitting means 50-53 inclusiveincorporate dimples of a generally linear ovaloid configuration pressedin opposite directions into the surface heel edge 55 of axe blade 26.Dirnples 50 and 52 are positioned near the top and bottom of one surfaceof blade 26 while dimple 51 is centrally located between them and in aline with them but pressed outward in the opposite surface of blade 26.Dimple 53 is arranged to be along side dimple 51 and projecting in thesame direction as dimples 50 and 52 but so as to fall within the handle28 whereas dimples 50-52 fall outside the handle 28 when the tool isinserted therein. Thus, when inserted in slot 31 as can be seen inFIGURE 9, particularly the separation between dimples 51 and 53 is equalto the thickness of the metal of handle 28 and the inner line of theedges of dimples 50-52 in axe blade 26 and the contour of the curvature48 of hammer head 27 (see FIG- URE 9) are separated by the outerdiameter of the upper portion 28 of handle 28/29.

The saw blade 30 can be seen in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 to be riveted to theaxe-hammer head assembly 26-27 using as one of the rivet points therivet 41 which holds spring 40 at one end and the other rivet beingidentified at 65. The rivets 41 and '65 hold a pad 56 against blade 30.Pad 56 is locked into the heel 55 of axe blade by a tab 58 which is bentthrough a bore 59 in heel 55.

There has been described hereinabove a combination tool assembly adaptedfor general hunting use, forest and woods use, prospecting use, otherout-door uses, and for emergency or survival use. The assembly includesa hollow handle which is slotted at the top to receive the work elementsof the various tool devices that can be inserted therein. Each of thetool devices includes a bayonet locking means to hold it in the handle.A shovel blade, and

v a combination axe-hammer and saw have been described and other toolelements suggested which are insertable and tightly fittable into thehandle. The tool work elements can be fitted into the hollow 'handleboth for use and for storage and a case has been described which willreceive and store both the tools in the handle with the handle andincludes a fold over pocket in which to store the external work elementssuch as the shovel blade and whatever other tools may be a part of thekit. The case can be worn by the user o his waist belt or it can beprovided with a special belt.

Those versed in the art will appreciate that the present inventionachieves the objects and realizes the advantages hereinbefore mentioned.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described herein, it will be understood that the same ismerely exemplary of presently preferred embodiments capable of attainingthe objects and advantages hereinbefore mentioned, and that theinvention is not limited thereto; variations will be readily apparent tothose versed in the art, and the invention is entitled to the broadestinterpretation within the terms of the appended claims.

The inventor claims:

1. A tool kit comprising:

a hollow handle having a slot in the top thereof, a ribbed grippingsurface on the lower exterior surface thereof, and a bore in one surfacenear said top disposed on a radius line perpendicular to said slot,

a shovel blade having a contoured groove fittable into said hollowhandle via said slot, and having a locking pin in said contoured groove,said pin being mounted on a spring in said contoured groove at aposition on said spring such that said pin is engageable in said boreunder the urge of said spring when said shovel blade is fitted into saidslot,

a combination hammer head, axe blade and saw blade, the hammer head andaxe blade being disposed in a line perpendicular to the axis of saidhandle, the saw blade being attached to said hammer head and axe bladeat a midpoint between said hammer head and axe blade and extendingperpendicularly to the line of said hammer and axe elements, saidcombination having a spring and pin assembly thereon similar to that onsaid shovel blade, the pin thereof being located on a mid-line of saidhammer and axe elements said combination being insertable into said slotof said handle in one direction so that said sawblade is within saidhollow handle and stored therein and said combination being insertablein an opposite direction so that said saw blade extends outwardly fromsaid hammer and axe elements for use of said saw blade; and

a case having a lower holster-like portion and an upper flap portion,said flap portion being foldable over said holster portion, said holsterportion being pocketed to receive and store said handle and saidcombination inserted in said one direction thereof; and said flap beingpocketed to receive and store said shovel blade, said case alsoincluding a belt loop on a rear surface of said holster portion so as toprovide for carrying said case on ones belt.

2. In a tool kit a generally cylindrical tubular handle having a slottherein at one end formed by a vertical cut to receive tool work pieces;and a bayonet pin receiving bore on one side of said handle midwaybetween the edges of said vertical cut; a hammer head and axe headcombination; the axe head having dimples arrayed on either side thereoffor engaging the edges of said vertical cut; said hammer head having acurved contour where it joins the axe head matching the curve of saidgenerally cylindrical handle, so that when said combination hammer headand axe head is inserted in said slot, said hammer head contour and saiddimples in said axe head tightly hold said combination in said slotagainst lateral motion therein; and said combination also having acentrally positioned resiliently mounted bayonet button which ispositioned thereon so as to engage said bayonet pin receiving bore tohold said combination in said slot against axial motion therein whensaid combination is inserted fully in said slot.

3. In a tool kit as defined in claim 2, the hammer head and axe headcombination set forth therein wherein said dimples being arrayed oneither side of said axe head include at least a first pair positioned ina location falling on the outside diameter of said cylindrical handleand a second pair positioned in a location falling on the insidediameter of said cylindrical tubular handle so as to engage the sides ofsaid slot to hold said axe head rigidly therein, and to guide said axehead-hammer head combination into said slot during the insertion of saidcombination into said handle.

4. In a tool kit as defined in claim 2 a saw blade attached to saidcombination hammer and axe head and being positioned thereon so as to beselectively insertable in said hollow handle for storage on onedirection and extended for use in the opposite direction, saidresiliently mounted bayonet button being positioned so as to engage saidbore in either of said selected directions of insertion of said saw, axeand hammer combination into said hollow handle.

5. In a tool kit as defined. in claim 2 there being also provided ashovel blade having a central contour disposed so as to engage the slotin said hollow handle and a bayonet pin assembly resiliently mounted onsaid central contour so as to engage said bore, and said contour havinga radius such that it fits snugly into the inner diameter of said hollowhandle.

6. A tool kit comprising:

a tubular handle open at one end,

a combination tool including an elongate tool body having a hammer headat one end and an axe blade at the opposite end, and a saw blade joinedto said body between said hammer head and saw blade and extendinggenerally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body, said toolbody having dimples arrayed on each side thereof, and slot means on saidone end of said handle having edges for engaging said dimples forselectively securing said combination tool in a first position whereinsaid tool body extends transversely of said handle with said hammer headand axe blade disposed at opposite sides of said handle and said sawblade extends longitudinally through said handle so as to be encased bysaid handle, and a second position wherein said tool body extendstransversely of said handle with said hammer head and axe blade disposedat opposite sides of said handle and said saw blade extendslongitudinally from said one end of said handle so as to be exposed foruse.

7. A tool kit according to claim 6 wherein:

said slot means is defined by a pair of diametrically op posedlongitudinal slots entering said one end thereof for receiving said toolbody at opposite sides of said saw blade in said first and secondpositions of said combination tool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,680 8/1951 Feld 206-163,250,307 5/1966 Schmidt et al. l4533.4

FOREIGN PATENTS 2,304 1878 Great Britain. 15,930 1/1898 Switzerland.839,117 6/ 1960 Great Britain.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner R. V. PARKER, ]R., AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 7-l, 8.1; 22426

